A massive wildfire broke out Wednesday afternoon in the Jerusalem hills, prompting evacuations and forcing the closure of Highway 1 in both directions between Anava and Shoresh. The fire erupted near the site of last week’s blaze and has been rapidly spreading due to strong winds in the area.
Motorists who were trapped on Highway 1 were forced to abandon their vehicles as flames and thick smoke approached. Nine people have so far been rescued from areas impacted by the heavy smoke. Three private vehicles and a truck—none of them occupied—were reported to be burning at the scene.
Fire and Rescue Commissioner Eyal Caspi has activated the fire service’s emergency protocols and raised the national alert level to its highest. Israel has submitted a formal request for international assistance in battling the blaze.
Fire is active in six different major locations
The fire is currently active in six major locations: Highway 3 (which has also been closed to traffic), Canada Park, Neve Shalom, Mesilat Zion, Mitzpe Harel, and Ramat Beit Shemesh. Firefighters are working to prevent the flames from spreading toward populated areas, and a “fire strike” has officially been declared.
Immediate evacuations are underway in Neve Shalom and Latrun, and police are prepared to evacuate additional nearby communities, including Naharshon, Beko'a, Mesilat Zion, Tarum, and Taoz.
Drivers are urged to exercise caution and obey all instructions from emergency responders at the scene.
Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman arrived at the emergency command center near Beit Shemesh, where she conducted a situation assessment with officials from multiple agencies. The Environmental Protection Ministry has also activated its national operations center at its headquarters in Jerusalem, where it is overseeing the nationwide response to the wildfire crisis.